


Questions Asked

by Blue_Sparkle



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, F/M, Fluff, Proposals, femNori, mild angst and mistrust
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-16
Updated: 2014-08-16
Packaged: 2018-02-13 08:26:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2143872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Sparkle/pseuds/Blue_Sparkle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Nori moves in with Dwalin, she hears how the entire mountain suddenly started talking of how Dwalin said they would marry. A thing he never asked her about at all</p><p>Kink Meme Fill</p>
            </blockquote>





	Questions Asked

Dwalin always made the effort to meet up with his brother and cousins at least once a week. Now that they all lived in just one mountain that was easier, even if said mountain contained an enormous kingdom, and meeting up meant actually do something together other than work and doing Lord related things. Sparring, or visiting family, if one had it, going out to hunt around the mountain or, like today, just getting sauced in a loud tavern was among the things they loved to do on such occasions.

Glóin was good company for the latter, he could hold his liquor and drink as much, or even more, than Dwalin could with the benefit of his size. Glóin was loud and cheerful, and as there was something to celebrate for Dwalin this time, he was also good to share happy news with.

“I can’t believe she agreed,” Glóin laughed, and took a large gulp of his ale. “Wouldn’t have taken her for the sort to actually commit to living with you. As far as I know she wouldn’t even say that she’s living in her family house. Or alone. Or anywhere. Always on the flight, your treasured one.”

Dwalin grinned into the tankard Glóin had sprung for him. It was true that Nori usually would be hard pressed to speak of where she lived. She spent as many nights and days with Dwalin in his house, as she did in Dori’s, or in some den of her own nobody had ever seen, or just out of the mountain entirely. Being on the flight at any time was a good way to describe her.

He’d been so surprised and overjoyed when Nori had actually told him that she’d _like_ to live with him, properly and officially. She’d been pleased when he immediately set to figure out how to find a place that’d suit them both, or adjust his own house. There’d been no need for many changes; only that Dwalin had finally put effort into putting more than the most basic furniture into his house. There’d never been an occasion, and even though Nori barely cared either, she wanted to make it ‘Dori approved’. 

“Do tell if your house’ll be too empty too much, I’ll gladly help you figure out what to do with the family being gone.”

Glóin had spent nearly a year all by himself, with Imlís and Gimli back in Ered Luin, her finishing off all loose ends in her business and him eagerly anticipating the reunion with his father.

Dwalin laughed, feeling his cheeks growing hot and his mind already fuzzy with the many drinks he’s had.

“Like I’m not already used to that.”

He knew he was grinning like a fool again, but his mind wandered to his little thief and her knifesharp smile, and how soft her face had been when they’d discussed the arrangement. The memory warmed his core more than the shots he’d had could.

“But can you believe it,” he nearly slurred, struggling to keep his voice even and clear. “My Nori is moving into one house with me. We’ll live together and we’ll marry and lead our lives together and all will be better than I could have ever hoped for.”

“You and Nori will marry?” Glóin sat up straight, watching his cousin wide-eyed. 

“Ah, but why have you omitted that so far?! Congratulations cousin, I’ll drink to that!”

He roared and slammed his flat hand on Dwalin’s back, his voice carrying even over the noise of the tavern and making some others turn to see who’d been so loud.

Dwalin slumped a little in his chair, waving him off.

“No, no, ‘m not yet!” he tried to explain, trying to remember his words.

“I will _ask_ her, and if she’ll have me, I’ll be Nori’s husband. Maybe she won’t. I hope she will.”

Glóin snorted and returned to his drink.

“Old sap, of course she will, that woman loved you even before either of you clods knew it for what it was. When will you ask?”

Dwalin frowned, counting in his head and the numbers and plans slipping out of his mind.

“Dunno… A month, two?”

“Why wait this long? You should’ve asked when she brought her things over to your place.”

Dwalin shrugged.

“I didn’t want it to be a discussion like tha’. I want to wait till it’s the right time and we’re comfortable in _our_ place. I want to make the perfect gift for her before I ask, only the best so she’ll know I’d give her everything even if I might not get anything in return. _’s got to be perfect_.”

The ale was making it increasingly hard to think and Dwalin was proud of being able to say as much as that. He eyed his tankard suspiciously, wondering whether finishing that one should indeed be the finishing line for tonight.

Glóin laughed at him, and hit his shoulder, making Dwalin growl and threatening to knock him off his chair.

“And they say _I_ am the hopelessly romantic in this family. What will your first gift be?”

“Now _tha’_ ”, Dwalin said and raised one finger, “’s a secret only for Nori to know!”

“Fair ‘nouhg,” Glóin agreed and raised his ale. “Cheers, and may Mahal bless your endeavour of capturing your thief’s hand in marriage!”

Dwalin managed not to spill anything when he raised his tankard to knock against Glóin’s. He drank, and he thought of the carefully folded parchment in his pocket, the one with the carefully drawn concept sketches for what he’d make. The first gift was often either something of use to the one it’d be gifted to, or something pretty like jewellery. Later a second gift would be something they’d both need or appreciate in their married life.

Dwalin prayed to Mahal that his gift would be as beautiful and suitable as it was in his head, and that Nori would take him every day, and he was full of hope that she would.

 

*

The early autumn winds were often still warm at this time of year, though there was a chill in the air as they blew over the bare mountainside, making the few Dwarves who went there curse and pull their coats tighter about themselves. There were some caverns very near to the mountain’s surface there, and some that were more like cracks in the mountain face and would barely be counted as a place where Dwarves would like to build anything.

Which was why the houses and booths there weren’t made of stone, but rather were shacks of wood, or even just tents, things that wouldn’t be mourned if they were lost. It was perfect for thieves and the contrabandists and the black market for those who wished to avoid the taxes, even if it was for a few sales, and despite their gain not being all that large.

Erebor hadn’t been populated for _that_ long, and yet its underworld already thrived and took tender roots in it. 

A lovely feeling, really, even better that Nori could watch it come to life with her own eyes, and would not need to waste time figuring it out later on, as she had in any other place with established systems. Not that it’d taken her long either way, but the King’s Third Eye did not wish to overcomplicate things that might have been dealt with easily. 

Even with the cold she usually hated, Nori felt good in these places and their familiarity, and surrounded by the rough rock on the north-facing parts of the mountain ledges. She liked them, liked that they existed and that she was a part of it and that she could see the lesser and the more severe crimes go on all around her. 

Now though, the chill of the winds and the cool anger spreading inside her made all of it seem meaningless. 

Nori was standing on the edge of the little makeshift market, with dangerously steep paths leading down towards the valleys, and her eyes were fixed on her companion, the only one who wasn’t looking through the displays around them; vicious looking swords and the finest textiles from the Blue Mountains as well as glass from the Iron Hills.

Patûl smirked as she glared at him, completely unfazed.

“I always knew you’ve been a wild thing, with no shame or morals,” he said, chewing around the stem of his pipe. “But I must say, I _am_ surprised that you’re actually a good enough fuck to get yourself up into the status of nobility. Though, ‘s not like the noblemen have that much brain to fuck out of them to begin with.”

Nori seethed silently, the fingers of her left hand playing with the needle-thin knives in her sleeves. She had touched them the moment Patûl had dared talk of Dwalin in that mocking tone of his, had wanted the feeling of her weapons against her skin, which always grounded her and helped her not actually draw them for a fight.

She had not expected the usual mockery she heard from others to turn into… well, _that_. 

“What are you speaking of?” she asked, her tone soft and pleasant and anyone who knew her would know that this was a dangerous tone for her to use. 

Patûl knew it as well, since he’d known her from their days in Ered Luin. Unfortunately he also knew that Nori would neither throw him down into the abyss nor have her knives bite into his body for this, not now. Erebor still was a small Kingdom, as far as the population went, and Nori did not have a real pick of criminals she needed for information and help, as much as it pained her. She needed Patûl for now, and he knew, but she would not need him forever and she counted in her head each time he spoke. She’d remember, and she’d know the moment she could pay him back sooner than Patûl would deem it necessary to flee the mountain to avoid conflict.

He grinned, as if he was telling a good joke, but Nori saw the malice in his face, and the glee.

“’s the juiciest gossip on the proper market,” he told her, “everybody’s heard by now, I’d wager. The Lord Commander of the King’s forces announced it just a day or two ago. He’ll marry his dear sweetheart, and he’ll have her for his wife so soon.”

Nori’s fingers wrapped around the needle in her sleeve. A little prick would hurt Patûl’s pride more than his body. Just a _tiny_ one. What was he talking about? Dwalin announcing that they’d marry? Why would he, he’d never spoken to _her_ about it, so why did Patûl mention such a thing?

“I mean, they do say you’re a lady, but now you’ll be a proper _Lady_ , an actual nob, yes? Shall I congratulate you? You won’t forget the little people once you’re in a nob’s bed _officially_?”

Nori’s smile was sharp and wide, showing off her teeth. It was a smile that made even him a little nervous.

“That’s very kind of you,” she said, letting one knife drop into her hand and letting the thing blade dance over her fingers. “Of course a Lady and hero of Erebor would _never_ forget her friends.”

Her voice grew harder towards the end, and she saw how Patûl’s smile dropped a little, growing nervous. He liked to mock her, had never been one she’d waste time on, but he wasn’t too stupid to realize that Nori was not someone he’d actually want as his enemy.

Nori gave him one last look, then turned on her heels and walked towards the market, her cloak snapping sharply in the wind. She’d wanted to stay and examine the goods the black market could already provide, wanted to see whether she knew many of the people in them. But she needed to find out what had given Patûl the idea for insulting both Dwalin and her. He’d not come up with nonsense like that on his own.

“Jora,” she said to one of the older Dams she actually liked and trusted. “See whether anything catches your eye, I’ll return to the inner halls for today.”

The quiet thief nodded at her, and glanced at Patûl with a frown. Nori shook her head once, then gently touched Jora’s shoulder before disappearing into the tunnel leading into Erebor. No need to have her friends busy themselves with fools like that.

 

*

Whatever Nori had expected, she had not really thought about the possibility that Dwalin had _actually_ proclaimed that Nori was to be his wife. It just wasn’t something he’d do, was it now?

But as she moved through the marked, hood covering her intricate braids and her beard not displaying her family’s beads and crest, she heard things. People who knew either her or Dwalin spoke of it, occasionally, if she strained to hear. Especially in their usual taverns, of the few that actually already existed in Erebor, she heard the same tale.

Dwalin had been out drinking with Glóin, and that detail was already true. He’d been loud, just like his cousin, and Nori new they always were, and he had told the entire pub that he and her would be married. He had said it and he had drunk with Glóin to that. 

It wasn’t such big news that it was all everyone talked about, but Erebor’s population was small still, and the second son of Fundin _was_ a hero and close to the King, enough to be interesting to the people at least.

Nori seethed when she heard, the quiet cold anger from before replaced with boiling fury. 

She had stayed and listened, hearing the same story over and over, with little to no variation in the retelling, the details always roughly the same, and it was enough for her to be sure that Dwalin had truly _said_ it.

How dared he? 

Nori had ran and hid in the quieter parts of Erebor, once she was sufficiently fed up and angry. 

She had moved in with Dwalin just a few days ago, they were barely even done furnishing the house and carrying all of Nori’s things over. Had Dwalin thought that this was consent to marriage as well? Living together was very nearly an official confirmation about how she and Dwalin were together, but a marriage would make it _official_. Would bind them with more than just affection and confessions of love. 

Nori couldn’t understand why Dwalin had done that though. Did he _want_ to get married? She knew that he was a secret romantic at heart, but it had never come up. Would _she_ want to marry? It was not something Nori had ever thought about, something she couldn’t quite tell on the spot.

She loved Dwalin, and she couldn’t imagine being apart from him. But before Nori had just… thought of them together. Of them alone and knowing that they fit, she had never really thought of it beyond that.

For just a moment Nori felt her anger leaving her and a soft giddy warmth spread in her belly as she imagined marrying Dwalin, and her braids and beads in his hair, him holding her and knowing that he was her husband and that nobody would ever have to _know_ but still not having any way of doubting them.

Then her rage was back. 

Patûl’s words still stung in her mind, even if Nori would never admit to that. 

_’A Lady’_ she thought, and snorted. She already was, just as her brothers were Lords, at least in name, just as she was a thief and a hero and the King’s friend and Third Eye. There was no denying that, why would she want to be married to nobility for that? She had earned the title all by herself, there was no need to be part of Durin’s line as well. 

The thought of Dwalin claiming her as his wife, of her being seen as a noble Lord’s pretty little spouse, of her _warming a noble’s bed_ made Nori’s blood boil. She’d not be anyone’s, never, not like that. Nobody could force a marriage, but a Lord or Lady offering was such an honour, there were some who’d agree even if they didn’t care all that much. 

And nobs always took what they wanted, didn’t they? They could, Durin’s heirs and closest kin of the King, they could do as they pleased, they were used to this, especially in Erebor, where the Dwarves had their former riches back as well.

So Dwalin loved her, and had Nori living with him, had her in all but name, and since he wanted her he just decided that’d he’d have her, asking for her opinion or no. He was a nob, of course he wouldn’t think of more than that. He’d be used to getting what he wanted, if it was possible, and Nori’s hand in marriage… it was possible, she was _there_ after all. 

Nori pressed her hands to her face, rubbing the heels of her hands against her eyes. 

Why hadn’t she seen that Dwalin might do such a thing? Had she been blinded in her love? Had he been so gradual in his acceptance of his role as a noble after decades of a simple life that she couldn’t have noticed? 

That’d Dwalin think so little of it to just go and announce a marriage was not something Nori knew what to do about. Didn’t Dwalin love her and know her? Wouldn’t he respect her enough to ask before having literally everyone know before she did? Nobody but Dori had ever understood her as well as Dwalin, and perhaps he’d even done it more than her brother, in some ways. 

He was old-fashioned in many things, he should have asked, and not only that, he should have given her a gift. The one who wished to court the other, or suggested the marriage, would usually make a small gift, or prepare good food before asking. Nori didn’t care much for that, but she knew that Dwalin did, and that the way he went about it might not be important to Nori, but it’d be to _him_.

Nori didn’t _need_ a symbolic gift, or any of that nonsense, if she were to agree to a marriage she’d be fine with skipping the entire courtship as well. But that Dwalin hadn’t asked, and hadn’t prepared anything… it hurt, it was insulting, it meant that Dwalin cared so little that he’d not even bother with it. Why did he even want the world to know, why would he want a marriage if he didn’t go about it properly? There was no need in any of it after all.

Each time Nori had heard somebody repeat the story to tell it someone else the words had stung, and now her heart was heavy with it. She could practically taste the disappointment on her tongue. 

Nori felt her heart clench, and her thoughts turn dark. With a furious scoff she pushed her hand through her hair and got up from where she’d been sitting. There was no use in moping, no use in wondering. She had thought that she knew Dwalin better than nearly anyone else, but she hadn’t anticipated this. Which meant she’d not figure out his motives without more information either. 

She’d find him, and she’d know.

For just one moment Nori wondered about what she’d do if her suspicion was true and Dwalin was just another nob, who didn’t think about what he did. She’d still love him. She’d hurt and she’d be angry but she already loved Dwalin too much. Perhaps that was why this hurt as it did.

Nori allowed herself one tiny moment of self-pity, then she pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders and was off and up on the rooftops, turning towards where the noble quarters of Erebor were.

 

*

Dwalin was just finishing his work at the newest guardhouse they’d reopened when Nori found him. He didn’t see her where she was hidden in the shadows between buildings, and he was glaring at nothing, eyes dark and his entire demeanour furious and intimidating. 

He rarely was like that, and usually Nori would want to figure out what had upset him and either deal with it herself or try to cheer him up. Today she just watched and didn’t do a thing.

He was tense and angry, signing off some parchments before he could leave for home. There was a group of young recruits passing by close to Nori, inexperienced and chatting amongst themselves, not noticing or even glancing towards her.

They giggled and poked at another and looked towards Dwalin, until one was quietly but firmly shoved forwards. Nori watched as the young guard approached Dwalin, grinning and waiting for him to be done and turning to leave.

“Sir!” he called, stopping Dwalin and not flinching at the angry glare it earned him. “We’d all like to congratulate you on the good news. We are all happy about you getting married, and we’d-“

“Don’t speak about this,” Dwalin snapped, taking a step closer and looming over the startled guard. “I will not have all of you listen to this and spread a rumour about me, do you understand? And go tell the others!”

The guard nodded and nearly ran back to the group, where the others had stopped teasing and laughing. Nori watched the guards stopping after being intimidated, and Dwalin glaring at them for good measure before leaving.

Rumour? The story Nori had heard was too consistent to just be something someone made up, unless it was en entire group telling lies, and why would they?

At least it was a little pleasing to know that Dwalin wasn’t happy about people talking about this. Perhaps he had wanted a future wedding, but he hadn’t meant for all of Erebor to know, if all of this was true he’d at least meant to tell her first. 

Nori walked backwards quietly, eyes on the guards, then she climbed up a wall and flew over the roofs and across the empty streets towards the house. She knew she could easily beat Dwalin to it, and she wanted to see how he’d behave while being alone.

It didn’t take long to reach the house and it was easy to climb up to a window where she wouldn’t be spotted from the street. Nori settled down and waited, seeing Dwalin as soon as he turned into the street leading to the front door. He was still thunderous, and people would have avoided him on his way to the house. Now he was alone in the street, with only Nori watching him. 

She made quick work of the window as soon as he was inside the house, slipping in and moving silently as she heard his heavy steps down below. He wouldn’t expect her to be home either. 

Nori made no noise as she slid down the stairs and into the halls closer to the front door. She saw Dwalin near the fireplace, stacking logs with more force than necessary, and she saw how his shoulders slumped and how he abandoned that task with a sigh, before he moved to the couch and sat down, all rage gone. He just looked upset by now, and tired.

Nori kept her eyes on him as she walked into the room fully, consciously willing her feet to make some noise, soft as it was. Dwalin picked up on it anyway, his head turning quickly as he searched for her.

For one moment he looked relieved and glad to see her, in the next his shoulders slumped even more and there was guilt and pain on his face. It shouldn’t make her happy to see that, but Nori was pleased to know that he knew he had done wrong, and that she’d not have to explain. 

“Nori,” he started, voice already strained. “I know you probably heard, but-“

“I did,” she said softly, still coming closer until she was looming above him, still far enough away to easily dance out of reach. If anything important happened in Erebor she usually knew by the end of the day. Especially a rumour like that, concerning her.

Dwalin looked up at her, not saying a word and waiting for her to go on, but Nori had nothing to say to him before he explained himself. Once he realized that Nori wouldn’t speak, Dwalin ducked his head to avoid her cold expressionless eyes.

“I know you heard about… People saying that we’ll marry.”

“I heard that you announced it widely, for all of Erebor to know.”

Dwalin had not done it on purpose, that much was clear to Nori by now, but she would not let him get off the hook easily. 

Dwalin glanced up again, his blue eyes begging for understanding.

“I would never do such a thing! I never announced it, I would _never_ speak about you or your decisions if didn’t know you’re fine with that. You know that! I never did… never…”

Then Dwalin broke off, sighing and buried his face in his hands, silent again.

Nori cocked her head as she watched his posture. After a few moments she stepped closer, fumbled with the clasp of her cloak and then let it fall over the couch’s backrest before sitting down next to Dwalin. She gently placed her hand on his arm, giving it one soft pat when Dwalin didn’t react right away. 

“I know,” she admitted, trying to keep her tone even while she still didn’t have the full information. Nori did feel a little guilty for being as suspicious of Dwalin as she had, even though she knew him too well for this. 

Dwalin covered her hand with his, his rough callouses familiar and making Nori want to lean into Dwalin and hold his hand. She shouldn’t, she was still trying to get the new information, he was the one who had it. He was her beloved as well.

Nori hooked her arm underneath his, and petted his wrist, leaned closer so that their arms where brushing together from elbow to shoulder. 

It seemed to calm Dwalin, and he leaned into her as well, rubbing his cheek against Nori’s hair and whispering a soft ‘I’m sorry’.

“How _did_ this spread then?” Nori asked, tilting her head up against the familiar comfort. 

She felt Dwalin tense against her, then edge away, and when she leaned to the side to look up at him he had a sheepish expression.

“Dwalin?”

“I… I _did_ mention a marriage.”

Nori felt something inside her clench again, but she pushed any more suspicions away. It’d do no good.

“I went out drinking, with Glóin, and he was teasing me about us moving in together. And I was talking about my future plans, that’d we’d live together and I mentioned us marrying, so the ones around us must have heard…”

Nori edged way further, feeling the disappointment and hurt settle in again. At least it had only been Glóin.

“You told him that we’d marry? I didn’t even know what you wanted to…”

She didn’t even know whether she had ever wanted to, what she was supposed to think about any of this. If he’d been drunk, Dwalin might have not thought clearly, but he _had_ thought.

“Not that! I didn’t say that I’d marry you I said that I… Well…”

Dwalin’s cheeks reddened, and Nori realized that he was blushing. He rarely did, and it was sweet, even now.

“I told Glóin that I had plans to _court_ you. I said I’d marry you if you’d take me for a husband. It slipped out, but when he started getting loud I said that I wanted to prepare something for a gift.”

His hands were on her shoulder and hip, and Dwalin pulled her closer, holding her so that Nori would have to look at him. There was urgency in Dwalin’s eyes.

“I wanted to make a _perfect_ gift for you before I asked, that’s why I never talked to you before, it had to be ready first. I didn’t want anyone to know, I made Glóin swear he’d never speak of this again when we were on our way home.”

Nori was speechless for a moment. She didn’t move when Dwalin’s hand came up to cup her cheek and tangled in her beard and she was still staring when Dwalin hesitated in his movements and then pulled his hand away.

Then finally Nori let herself smile, and drop her cool demeanour. She snorted at the ridiculousness of it all, and curled her arms around Dwalin’s middle.

“Why won’t you learn that you turn into an old sap when you drink? Never talk about things that _move_ you when you’re in your cups, my giant.”

Dwalin made a soft indignant sound and Nori kissed his chin to appease him, unable to reach much further without letting him go. At last Dwalin seemed to loose his anxieties about having insulted her, and he twisted a little to gather her up in his arms and hold her tight.

“I should listen to you more,” he said and nuzzled his nose against her cheek.

Nori turned to steal a quick kiss.

“You really should.”

Dwalin tried to glare at her but he rarely managed to fool her into thinking he was angry when he wasn’t, and he barely ever could keep it up for more than a few heartbeats before laughing.

She snuggled into him, happy about the living furnace that he was, especially after spending most of her day out in the cold. Dwalin’s hands roamed over her body and she let him caress her and enjoyed the touch and reassurance that all was as it should be.

It took a little while, but then Nori noticed how Dwalin looked sad and disappointed again.

“What is it?” she asked, leaning her face closer to his.

“I wanted this to be perfect,” Dwalin explained, “I had the perfect gift in mind, wanted everything to _fit_ and now it was for nothing.”

Nori watched him, looked over the lines on his face and how his brow was furrowed and the corners of his mouth were turned down. She loved him, she thought, will all her heart, and every time she thought he’d let her down, he didn’t. Only family never let you down.

“What did you plan?”

Dwalin let go of her with one hand to reach into the inside of his vest. He had a pocket there, not large enough to keep anything of value there, or nothing that wouldn’t show in an outline, like a key. He pulled forth a folded parchment and handed it over.

“I memorized this by heart anyway, but it helps me focus when I work,” Dwalin told her as Nori smoothed out the sketch.

It was various concepts on a small sheet, more scribbles in Dwalin’s uneven penmanship, more thoughts than actual drawn designs. There were patterns, and Nori recognized tiny chains and notes to which style would work better. It was rings, she realized after squinting for a while, and an armlet, something that was supposed to be connected with a net of delicate chains. There were notes about metals and shades of gold or emeralds and diamonds, barely legible, but Nori saw that it was something Dwalin had mentioned would go well with her eyes or hair before.

Dwalin wasn’t even looking at her while Nori examined the sketch and tried to imagine it. Even for someone who liked the traditions, this would have been an exceptionally elaborate first courting gift, and one Nori would have loved to wear. 

“It’s beautiful,” Nori told Dwalin sincerely. She had always loved the delicate work he could do, but this was something she’d have admired even without already being biased for sure.

Dwalin shook his head.

“Is there any sense in making this anymore? I will, it’d suit you. But it should have been perfect and a surprise.”

Nori looked at the sketch, then at him, then back at the sketch.

Was she judging the situation wrong or had Dwalin given up hope on asking her, now that it had been known throughout the mountain in such a way?

“I will keep the sketch,” she told him, “as a gift to me. And then you’ll make me a pretty birthday gift like that soon enough, I’ll love it. In the meantime, consider getting a bed that’s at least as wide as it’s long, for a second gift.”

Dwalin startled, his arms loosened their hold, then gripped tighter, and when he looked up at her his eyes were nearly comically wide.

“A… second? Nori?!”

His hands moved up, curling around her shoulder and back to keep her steady, and Nori laughed at his expression.

“A second gift, I ask you now because you’ll get to prepare it soon.”

“You really want to-?”

“Want you to be my husband? I think I’m growing fond of the sound of it.”

Nori gently slid her hands around Dwalin’s neck, locking her fingers together at its back and she leaned in to knock their foreheads together.

“Mine. My husband. I’d want to call you that and not have anyone point out that you aren’t. Because you’re already mine, aren’t you?”

Dwalin nodded sharply, and Nori gave him a kiss for that.

“And you wanted to marry me?”

“More than anything,” Dwalin said earnestly.

“Then who cares about things being perfect? I’d elope if Dori would let me get away with that!”

Dwalin chuckled and pulled Nori closer against his chest, softly petting her hair.

“I know you don’t care, but I do. And you deserve to have the best.”

“I already do.”

Dwalin’s fingers buried deeper in her hair, messing up her braids and Nori smiled, knowing that Dwalin would be very touched by that, even without looking up. She curled in to let herself be held, satisfied with the ministrations and her cheek sliding down until her head was tucked between Dwalin’s chest and chin.

They stayed like that for a few moments, and Nori relaxed further, feeling herself become nearly sleepy. She tucked the parchment into her sleeve and enjoyed the moment, and Dwalin’s presence.

“Thank you,” Dwalin finally said, sounding all chocked up. Nori wondered whether he had tears in his eyes, but she didn’t look up to leave it to him to hide them or not.

Barely anyone who knew Dwalin would have guessed that he was the type to get teary eyed at such a thing, or that he was the type to want a marriage at all. Nori knew him though, better than most, and she knew him better than her own doubts did.

Her hands curled around the collars of Dwalin’s shirt and she turned her face against him, hiding her grin, and the blush on her cheeks. Dwalin would know that she was blushing, but he’d not mention it to anyone, so Nori held on tighter and smiled her private little smile.

**Author's Note:**

> the original prompt is here:  
> http://hobbit-kink.livejournal.com/7346.html?thread=16554418#t16554418
> 
> not quite what was asked for, but this was what worked best in my head, in regards of what these two would do  
> :'3


End file.
